Falklands: Sky Poll Reveals Nations Divided

By Ian Woods, Senior Correspondent, Falkland Islands

Only 15% of Argentinians think Falkland Islanders should have a say in their own future, and a quarter still believe that the islands will one day be governed from Buenos Aires.

Those answers, in an opinion poll conducted by YouGov for Sky News, come on the eve of a referendum in which Falklanders will be asked whether they want to remain British.

It is expected to result in an overwhelming yes vote, but the islanders' enthusiasm for Britain doesn't seem to be reciprocated in the UK.

When asked what was the most important international issue affecting their country, only 1% of British respondents said the Falklands, while the figure was 24% in Argentina - just ahead of those worried about the economy.

Ballot boxes are prepared for Sunday's referendum

There was an even bigger divergence of opinion between the two countries over the rights of the people on the islands to have a say in their future.

Nearly nine out of 10 (88%) British people who were surveyed thought the islanders should have a say on who ruled them, while six out of 10 (59%) Argentinians thought they should have no say on sovereignty.

Jan Cheek, one of the eight members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly, told Sky News: "Sadly that says a lot about Argentina and their view of democracy.

"It's a populist theme. We saw it used by the military junta in '82 and it's being used in the same way by Christina Fernandez de Kirchner today."

The Union Flag bunting is going up

The Argentinian president has tried to buttonhole David Cameron on the issue and has raised it at the United Nations.

"We've seen a lot of propaganda going out from Argentina. Some of it entirely false, some of it a distortion of the facts," said Ms Cheek.

"We would like people to recognise that we have the right to self-determination and we hope that democratic countries would wish to afford us the same right."

It will arguably be the most significant moment in the history of the Falkland Islands since British forces liberated them 10 weeks after they were seized by an Argentinian invasion force in 1982.

The result is not in doubt, only the precise number voting yes. And those who have organised the referendum acknowledge that they need a high turnout to send a clear message.

Dick Sawle, another member of the Legislative Assembly, said: "I think if we got 100%, people would think it was rigged. I think we will get a very high percentage, in the nineties, voting for yes."

The referendum result is a foregone conclusion

There may be a few no votes, because while nobody is thought to favour Argentinian rule, there are a few who would prefer complete independence from Britain.

"One or two people might think that no means that they could have independence immediately," said Mr Sawle.

"I don't think this country is ready for independence yet, I think we have a long way to go in terms of government structure, in terms of responsibility for elected members and so on. We're too small."

Liam Felton-Short is a typical voter. "I'm British. I'm a sixth-generation Falklander," he said. "We are a British people. We're very much proud to be so."

Sybie Summers owns a gift shop in Stanley and is angry about the detrimental effect the Argentinian government has had on her business which relies on tourism.

It's been a slow year because some cruise ships stayed away under pressure from Buenos Aires.

They were told they would not be allowed to sail in Argentinean waters if they sailed into Stanley.

"It annoys me to think what they're trying to do to our islands," said Ms Summers.

"They're trying to cut us off. And hopefully the rest of the world will realise that they just can't do that."

The anti-Falklands policy has become more inventive in recent years, with adverts being placed in British newspapers, and a video secretly shot in Stanley showing one of their Olympic athletes preparing for the London games by training on what the video said was Argentinian soil.

What angered islanders most was that the video showed deserted streets as if the people didn't exist.

They hope that the referendum will give them a voice which the world can't ignore, even if Argentina continues to deny their right to self-determination.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Abu Qatada Arrested For 'Breaching Bail'

Abu Qatada has been arrested for allegedly breaching his bail conditions, days ahead of a new Government attempt to have him deported.

The radical cleric, who has been convicted of terror charges in Jordan, was arrested by UK Border Agency officials on Friday following raids by the Metropolitan Police Service Counter Terrorism unit.

Searches at two residential homes and a business in northwest and west London began on Thursday, while a search on a third property in northwest London is ongoing, Scotland Yard said.

The searches were carried out in connection with ongoing inquiries by the Counter Terrorism Command, a spokesman for Scotland Yard said.

However, no arrests have been made in connection with the police investigation, he added.

The Home Office said: "The UK Border Agency arrested a 52-year-old man from north London for alleged breaches of his bail conditions imposed by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC)."

He added that the breach will be considered by SIAC at the earliest opportunity.

Qatada was reportedly arrested by officials outside his family home in London.

The Sun newspaper showed pictures of him being escorted out of his house with his hands hidden under a jacket.

Qatada is due to appear at the Court of Appeal on Monday for Home Secretary Theresa May's attempt to overturn a judge's decision to allow him to stay in the UK.

Ms May will challenge the decision in front of three Court of Appeal judges led by Lord Dyson, the Master of the Rolls.

Once described by a Spanish judge as "Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe", Qatada has used human rights laws to fight deportation for more than a decade.

SIAC decided last November that Qatada could not lawfully be deported to Jordan, where he was convicted of terror charges in his absence in 1999.

SIAC judges ruled there was a danger that evidence from Qatada's former co-defendants Abu Hawsher and Al Hamasher, said to have been obtained by torture, could be used against him in a retrial in Jordan.

He was granted bail following the ruling by three SIAC judges and released from Long Lartin prison in November last year.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt Violence After Fans Sentenced To Death

A hardcore element of Cairo's Al Ahly fan base have stormed and set fire to Egypt's football headquarters after a court aquitted seven out of nine police officials on trial for their alleged role in a deadly stadium riot.

A nearby police club in the Egyptian capital was also set ablaze - and the mob, known as the Ultras, was said to be heading towards the interior ministry as well, according to state television.

Hundreds of the club's supporters took to the streets in celebration after a court earlier on Saturday upheld death sentences on 21 Port Said football fans for their role in the stadium riot last year.

Al Ahly fans take to the streets to celebrate the verdicts in Cairo

Some 74 people were killed and around 1,000 injured at the end of a match between Cairo's Al Ahly and Al Masry, the local side, on February 1, 2012.

Spectators were crushed when panicked fans tried to get out the stadium after a pitch invasion by Port Said supporters.

In a live televised ruling, judge Sobhi Abdel-Maguid sitting at a Cairo court, confirmed "the death penalty by hanging".

Al Ahly fans had warned police they would retaliate if the defendants, including nine policemen, were exonerated.

The city's former security chief, Major General Essam Samak, was jailed for 15 years along with several others including Brigadier General Mohammed Saad, who during the riot had the keys to the stadium gates, which were locked.

A further five people were also sentenced to life imprisonment for the riot, while 28 others - including seven police officers - were acquitted.

The stadium deaths occurred on February 1, 2012

The rest of the 73 defendants involved received shorter prison sentences.

The death sentences - originally handed down in January - have provoked deadly clashes in Port Said and Cairo.

The riot - the worst case of football violence in the country and the deadliest worldwide since 1996 - erupted after the home team Al Masry beat Egypt's top club Al Ahly in the league fixture.

Subsequent widespread violence and protests have sparked fresh concerns about Egypt's stability.

Political turmoil is sweeping across the country with demonstrators demanding concessions from Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, while others want him removed altogether, saying his Muslim Brotherhood is monopolising power.

His government is struggling to halt the slide in law and order, hampered by a strike by some protesting police.

At least eight people have been killed in Port Said this week, including three police officers.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

North Korea Leader Ready For 'All-Out War'

Who Is Kim Jong-Un?

Updated: 9:50am UK, Friday 08 March 2013

Kim Jong-Un is the world's youngest head of state. But very little is known about the supreme leader of North Korea, the most secretive nation on Earth.

Believed to have been born in Pyongyang around 1983, he was named North Korea's "great successor" following the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il, in December 2011.

The younger Kim is the leader of the ruling communist Workers' Party of Korea. He also holds the rank of Wonsu - the highest rank in the Korean military.

Reports in some Japanese newspapers claim he was educated in Switzerland at an English-language international school near Bern from the age of 10 to 17 where - according to a classmate - he developed a keen interest in basketball.

In 2012 he was voted the sexiest man alive in a spoof article by satirist website The Onion. China's Communist Party newspaper later ran a glowing report of the article, unaware it was a parody.

Quoting from the spoof report, The People's Daily wrote: "With his devastatingly handsome, round face, his boyish charm and his strong, sturdy frame, this Pyongyang-bred heart-throb is every woman's dream come true."

In 2012 he made several public appearances with a mystery lady, initially believed to be Hyon Song-Wol, a North Korean singer famous for the smash hit A Girl In The Saddle Of A Steed, often mis-translated as Excellent Horse-Like Lady.

But North Korean media later identified the woman as Ri Sol-Ju and claimed she was Mr Kim's wife. Unconfirmed reports have suggested the couple were married in 2009 and that she gave birth to a child in 2010.

But less is known about her than her husband. Conflicting reports have suggested she was born between 1985 and 1989 and that some of her family are involved in North Korean politics.

Her mother reportedly works in the gynaecology unit at a local hospital and her father as a university professor.

Mr Kim's interest in basketball is understood to have led to American NBA star Dennis Rodman paying the supreme leader a surprise visit in March 2013.

"He wants Obama to do one thing: Call him," Rodman later said. "He said, 'If you can, Dennis - I don't want (to) do war. I don't want to do war.' He said that to me."

A United Nations report on human rights in North Korea has urged for an inquiry to document the accountability of Mr Kim and the North Korean government for alleged crimes against humanity.

The UN has claimed that out of the total population of 25 million in the country, "16 million people continue to suffer varying degrees of chronic food insecurity and high malnutrition".

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Public Officials Admit Leaking To The Sun

Two public officials have pleaded guilty to leaking information to The Sun newspaper.

Former police officer Alan Tierney has pleaded guilty to selling details about the arrests of John Terry's mother and Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood.

Prison officer Richard Trunkfield, 31, from Northamptonshire, also admitted leaking information about a high-profile prisoner to the tabloid.

They are among seven people appearing at the Old Bailey to face charges involving the alleged bribing of public officials.

Among those appearing are David Cameron's former head of communications - Andy Coulson - and the former Chief Executive of News International - Rebekah Brooks.

Rebekah Brooks (centre) arrives at the Old Bailey

Trunkfield, from Moulton, Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office between March 2 and April 30, 2010.

The ex Surrey Pc Tierney, 40, admitted one count of the offence between March 26 and April 3, 2009, and the second between December 2 and 7, 2009.

Tierney, from Hayling Island, Hampshire, was released on bail to be sentenced on March 27. Mr Justice Fulford warned him that "all options remain open".

Tierney and Trunkfield were arrested as part of Operation Elveden, which was set up to investigate allegations of newspapers paying police officers for information.

Tierney sold details about Sue Terry and Sue Poole, the mother and mother-in-law of former England football captain John Terry, being arrested on suspicion of shoplifting in Surrey. They accepted cautions.

He also sold details about the arrest of guitarist Wood, 65, on suspicion of beating up his Russian lover Ekaterina Ivanova, who is in her 20s. Wood also accepted a caution.

Andy Coulson (centre) was among those appearing at court

Trunkfield leaked information about a high profile inmate while working at high security Woodhill prison near Milton Keynes. The prisoner has not been named.

Others appearing at the plea and directions hearing at the Old Bailey are John Kaye, the Sun's chief reporter, and Clive Goodman, the former Royal Editor of the News of the World.

More follows...

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bus Stab Teen Died Of Single Wound To Chest

Teenager Christina Edkins died from a single stab wound to the chest, a post-mortem has revealed.

The 16-year-old was killed on a busy double-decker bus as she travelled to school during rush hour in what police believe was a random attack.

Police have launched a fresh appeal for witnesses to the attack saying that there were 16 people travelling on the number 9 bus when the attack happened but that only half of them had spoken to police.

Detective Superintendent Richard Baker, of West Midlands Police, said: "We know there are a number of passengers who were on the bus yesterday morning when Christina was attacked while she was sitting upstairs.

"Some of these passengers were sitting downstairs on the bus and they haven't yet spoken to police. They may not even have known what happened but may have vital evidence and it is crucial they contact us as soon as possible on 101."

Police have released a CCTV image as part of their investigation

Police also released a CCTV image of a man in a black jacket with a tiger motif on the back and appealed for anyone who had seen him travelling on buses in and around Birmingham on Thursday between 6am and 1pm to contact them.

Officers are continuing to question a 22-year-old man who was arrested after a manhunt was launched following the 7.30am stabbing.

Police today provided extra patrols on public transport after attack prompted concerns among residents about knife crime and many voiced fears over travelling on the city's transport system on social network sites.

A police spokesman said: "Extra police officers will be patrolling public transport this morning in the wake of yesterday's tragedy to reassure commuters."

Christina, who was described as a "bright and popular" pupil at Leasowes High School in Halesowen, was killed shortly after she boarded the double-decker.

The stabbing happened nearly a month after the teenager had voiced concerns on Twitter about the behaviour of a passenger on another bus trip.

Christina was described as "bright and popular"

On February 8 she wrote: "This man is worrying me on the bus keeps getting up and walking up and down stairs, and sitting in different place."

However, police said there was no evidence to suggest Christina knew her attacker but that they were aware of her "social media presence".

Police officers stood guard at the Edkins' semi-detached house near Birmingham city centre for much of the day on Thursday while family liaison officers sought to comfort relatives.

Neil Shaw, the headteacher of Leasowes High School, led tributes to his pupil and said friends and family were "deeply saddened" by her death.

The bus on Hagley Road after the rush hour stabbing

He said: "Christina was a bright and popular student much loved by staff and students alike.

"We are deeply saddened to hear this tragic news and our thoughts and hearts go out to her family and everyone who knew her.

"The school is working closely with the police and a team of counsellors to provide support to our pupils and staff."

The Most Rev Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham, sent his condolences in a message from Rome.

Forensic officers get to work at the scene of the attack

He said: "I am shocked to hear of the terrible attack on young Christina Edkins as she was making her way to school on a bus today.

"My thoughts and prayers are with her bereft family and with all her friends at Leasowes High School, in Halesowen.

"The loss of a young life in these tragic circumstances raises many questions about our respect for life and about safeguarding children in public places."

 

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boy Raped And Drowned 'By Babysitter's Ex'

By Sky News US Team, in Los Angeles

An American toddler was raped and then drowned after his babysitter's ex-boyfriend threw him into the pool of a Mexican holiday home, officials have said.

Axel Charrette, two, and his seven-year-old brother were being watched by a local woman when her ex-boyfriend entered the property and attacked Axel, authorities in Mexico said.

The brother was locked up in his family's home at the time and did not witness the attack.

Prosecutors in the Mexican state of Nayarit said Eleodoro Carlos Rodriguez Sanchez had been arrested and charged with murder in the February 28 attack, details of which have just emerged.

He is said to have been high on drugs during the assault.

Sanchez and Perez have been charged over Axel's death

The babysitter, Nancy Saralee Solorio Perez, has been charged with homicide for failing to intervene.

She is also charged with lying about the attack to medical personnel.

A family spokesman said Axel's parents, Randy and Jen Charrette, had been renting the home for about two months and had hired 19-year-old Perez to watch their children.

In a statement published online by The Watch newspaper, the Charrettes said the babysitter let her boyfriend into the house, but soon realised he was "in a violent, drug-induced state".

"Out of fear, she locked herself in a bathroom, leaving Axel outside ... The boyfriend, for reasons unknown, hurt Axel then threw him in the pool, leaving him to drown," the statement says.

"There are no words to express our grief - but we wanted you to know what happened because the truth, as horrible as it may be, is important."

The prosecutor's office said Perez reported being too terrified to alert police during the crime.

The parents returned to their home in Ridgway, Colorado, earlier this week.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Teenage Girl Stabbed To Death On Bus

A 15-year-old schoolgirl was stabbed to death on a bus in a rush-hour attack in Birmingham, according to Sky sources.

Passengers, paramedics and police officers tried to save the girl's life but nothing could be done and she died at the scene.

Officers said that a murder investigation had been launched into the attack just after 7.30am but that it was still in "very early stages".

Police were called by a member of the public who was travelling on the bus along Hagley Road at 7.37am.

West Midlands Police said that they were in the process of informing the victim's family.

The bus at the scene of the incident (Picture: Rich Adams)

A spokesman said:  "At 7.37am today police received a call from a member of the public reporting that a passenger had been attacked.

"Officers and other emergency services were immediately dispatched but it was clear that nothing could be done to save the victim.

"West Midlands Police have identified the victim's family and are in the process of breaking the sad news."

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said they had been called to the scene shortly after 7.35am.

Witnesses should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

More follows...

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

North Korea Threatens US With Nuclear Strike

North Korea has threatened to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States.

An unidentified spokesman for Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry says the North will exercise its right for "pre-emptive nuclear strikes on the headquarters of the aggressors".

The spokesman claims Washington is pushing to start a nuclear war against North Korea.

The threat comes hours ahead of a vote by UN diplomats on whether to level new sanctions against Pyongyang for its recent nuclear test.

Inflammatory rhetoric is common from North Korea, however it has become more regular in recent days.

The North has been angered by the possible sanctions and over upcoming US-South Korean military drills.

The UN Security Council is set to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Pyongyang in a fresh attempt to rein in its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, the current council president, said the council will vote on the draft sanctions resolution on Thursday morning.

The resolution was drafted by the United States and China, North Korea's closest ally.

The council's agreement to put the resolution to a vote just 48 hours later signalled that it would almost certainly have the support of all 15 council members.

Although North Korea boasts of nuclear bombs and pre-emptive strikes, the country is not thought to have mastered the ability to produce a warhead small enough to put on a missile capable of reaching the US.

It is believed to have enough nuclear fuel, however, for several crude nuclear devices.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sex Attacks On Prostitutes In Manchester

Four prostitutes have been sexually assaulted in the Fairfield Street area of Manchester city centre.

Each victim was attacked separately by a man between 8.30pm and 10.30pm on Tuesday.

Police have launched a probe into what they have described as "serious sexual assaults" on the sex street workers.

It is believed the attacks are linked.

Police are appealing for anyone with information about the attacks - or who may have been a victim - to come forward.

They can contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A 33-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of serious sexual assault and is currently in police custody.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Payday Loans: Firms Given Reform Deadline

The UK's biggest payday loans firms are facing the prospect of being put out of business unless they implement swift changes to their practices within 12 weeks.

The ultimatum was issued by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) following a wide-ranging investigation of the controversial sector as it emerged that a shake-up would place greater controls on advertising by such firms.

The Government will work with the Advertising Standards Authority and the industry to make sure advertising does not tempt consumers into taking out payday loans that they cannot afford, limit the number of adverts they are allowed to put out per hour, the times they can advertise and forcing them to make sure that interest rates are clearly displayed.

The OFT carried out checks on 50 major lenders and obtained information from all 240 lenders in the market.

The inquiry uncovered evidence of "widespread irresponsible lending", the OFT said.

It confirmed it was also proposing to refer the payday market to the Competition Commission after finding "deep-rooted problems" in how lenders compete with each other.

The OFT said it had found evidence that the 50 lenders, which account for 90% of the market, were failing to comply with the standards expected and were therefore in danger of losing their licences.

Payday loan firms are taking a greater presence on UK high streets

Some of the worst problems identified included lenders not carrying out proper affordability checks before lending or rolling loans over, failing to explain adequately how payments will be collected, acting aggressively to claw back debts and not making enough allowances for struggling borrowers.

OFT chief executive Clive Maxwell said: "We have found fundamental problems with the way the payday market works and widespread breaches of the law and regulations, causing misery and hardship for many borrowers.

"Payday lenders are earning up to half their revenue not from one-off loans, but from rolled over or re-financed deals where unexpected costs can rapidly mount up."

The regulator acted after charities reported rocketing numbers of complaints about payday lenders from borrowers.

The Money Advice Trust (MAT) recently said complaints about payday loans have doubled year-on-year to a record 20,000 in 2012.

New regulator the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which will oversee the consumer credit market from next year, will prioritise tighter rules on payday lending that could come into effect from April 2014.

The FCA's rules will be binding and if they are broken it will have tough enforcement powers including imposing unlimited fines and the ability to claw consumers' money back.

The Government is also planning to do more to encourage greater communication within the industry to stop consumers taking out multiple loans from different lenders.

Sajid Javid, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said: "The Government is introducing a fundamentally new approach to regulating consumer credit, which will ensure that irresponsible firms and bad practice will have no place in the consumer credit marketplace.

"Consumers can have greater confidence that the new FCA will intervene early and decisively in their interests - thanks to its more focused remit, objectives and powers."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hugo Chavez Dies: Election In Four Weeks

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died at the age of 58 after losing his battle with cancer.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro fought back tears as he announced the death in a national television broadcast.

He said Mr Chavez, who had been in power for 14 years, died at 4.25pm local time "after battling a tough illness for nearly two years".

Amid fears of unrest, Mr Maduro also said the army and police had been deployed "to accompany and protect our people and guarantee the peace".

Hundreds of Venezuelans poured into the streets of the capital Caracas, with many crying, hugging each other, or shouting slogans of support.

Clusters of women with tears streaming down their faces clung to each other and wept near the Miraflores presidential palace. Some wore T-shirts with slogans that read: "Go forward commander!"

Nearby, men pumped their arms in the air while shouting: "Long live Chavez! Long live Chavismo!"

Foreign Minister Elias Jaua declared seven days of national mourning and said a wake for Mr Chavez would be held until Friday, when his official funeral will take place.

He said Mr Maduro would take over the presidency until fresh elections can take place in around 30 days.

Emotional vice president Nicolas Maduro announced the death on national TV

Ideological allies across Latin America lined up to salute former paratrooper Mr Chavez, a standard bearer of the region's "anti-imperialist" left.

Cuba has declared three days of national mourning, with the government saying Mr Chavez had "stood by Fidel Castro like a true son".

Bolivia's socialist President Evo Morales said he was "crushed", while Argentinian Vice President Amado Boudou said "all of Latin America" was in mourning.

President Barack Obama responded by expressing hopes for improved relations with the oil-rich state, voicing American "support for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with the Venezuelan government".

He added: "As Venezuela begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to policies that promote democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "saddened" by the death of a leader who had left a "lasting impression on the country and more widely".

Mr Chavez had been receiving cancer treatment in Cuba on and off since June 2011 - when he was first diagnosed with the illness.

Some Venezuelans in the US say they are glad the 'dictatorship' has ended

The announcement of his death came just hours after Mr Maduro announced the government had expelled two US diplomats from the country.

He had said Mr Chavez's illness had been induced by foul play by "the historical enemies of our homeland".

People have been gathering outside the military hospital where Mr Chavez died. Soldiers in riot gear stood shoulder to shoulder guarding the complex.

"I feel such big pain I can't even speak," said Yamilina Barrios, a 39-year-old office worker weeping at a street corner. "He was the best thing the country had ... I adore him. Let's hope the country calms down and we can continue the tasks he left us."

The government announced late on Monday that Mr Chavez's condition was "very delicate" due to a "new, severe" respiratory infection.

Mr Chavez had not been seen in public or heard since undergoing a fourth round of surgery in Cuba on December 11.

The government said he returned home on February 18, and had been confined to Caracas' military hospital ever since.

During his time in power, Mr Chavez routinely challenged the status quo at home and internationally.

Mr Chavez with daughters Rosa Virginia, right, and Maria

The fiery populist leader declared a socialist revolution in Venezuela, crusaded against US influence, championed a leftist revival across Latin America, and over time, gradually placed all state institutions under his personal control.

His death sets up a snap presidential election after his illness prevented him from taking the oath of office when he was re-elected last year.

Under the constitution, the head of Congress, Diosdado Cabello, would assume the interim presidency.

However, Mr Maduro is Mr Chavez's self-anointed successor and has been holding the reins since the president's health worsened.

The man Mr Chavez defeated in October's presidential elections, Miranda state Governor Henrique Capriles, is expected to represent the opposition in any new national polls.

He called for unity and offered his condolences to Mr Chavez's family and supporters.

Venezuela's defence minister pledged the military would remain loyal to the constitution in the wake of Mr Chavez's death.

Sky's Dominic Waghorn said Mr Chavez "used a mixture of brute force, persuasion, passion and charisma to keep himself in power".

"Such was the adoration and devotion that mainly the poor in Venezuela felt for him that he was seen as this almost sort of religious figure, and his loss now leaves a huge void in Venezuelan politics.

"A lot of people say he is irreplaceable."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Deadly Florida Sinkhole Is Finally Revealed

The deadly sinkhole that swallowed a man at his home in Florida has been uncovered by demolition teams.

The remaining walls of the house were knocked down on Monday and debris was dragged towards the street to reveal the crater in Seffner, about 15 miles east of Tampa.

The authorities estimate that it now measures 30 feet (9m) across and between 30 and 100ft (30m) deep.

It has become the final resting place of Jeff Bush, whose body was never recovered after the sinkhole opened up under his bedroom on Thursday night.

Five other family members who were in the house escaped unharmed.

Jeremy Bush said more could have been done for his brother

During a brief ceremony on Monday afternoon, the 37-year-old's family placed a teddy bear, a photo, notes and flowers into the bucket of a digger which dropped them into the makeshift grave.

Then the first load of gravel to stabilise the hole was poured on top.

Jeremy Bush, 35, who tried to save his brother thanked rescuers and salvage teams, but also suggested they could have "tried harder".

"I tried my hardest to get you out, brother," he said through his tears at a news conference.

"I think I'm the only one that really tried to get you out. They said the ground was too unstable to do anything, but they got all this heavy equipment on there, pulling stuff out and everyone's cheering for everything that's coming out of the house. I've had enough of the cheering."

Rescue teams had halted all recovery efforts on Saturday when the site became too unstable.

The remaining walls of the Bush family home are torn down

Two neighbouring houses have been evacuated and could also be condemned.

Florida is highly prone to sinkholes because there are caverns below ground of limestone, a porous rock that easily dissolves in water.

A second hole was reported about three miles away from the Bush family's home on Monday but aside from a piece of fence, there was no serious damage and nobody was hurt.

It is the loss of life that makes the Seffner case so highly unusual and tragic.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

CPR Refusal Death: Police Investigate Nurse

Police have launched an investigation after a US nurse refused pleas by an emergency call operator to perform CPR on an elderly woman - who later died.

The nurse has been defended by bosses at the Californian retirement home, following the death there of the woman named in reports as Lorraine Bayless, 87.

At the beginning of the emergency call, the nurse - who did not give her full name - asked for paramedics to come and help the woman, who had collapsed in the home's dining room and was barely breathing.

Dispatcher Tracey Halvorson can be heard in a recording of the call pleading for the nurse to perform CPR.

After several refusals Ms Halvorson asks her to find a resident, a gardener or anyone not employed by the home to get on the phone, take her instructions and help the woman.

Glenwood Gardens in Bakersfield, California

"Is there anybody that's willing to help this lady and not let her die," Ms Halvorson says on the 911 recording released by the Bakersfield Fire Department.

"Not at this time," said the nurse, who added that the home's rules prevented her from giving medical help to the woman.

"Can we flag someone down in the street and get them to help this lady?" Ms Halvorson went on.

"Can we flag a stranger down? I bet a stranger would help her."

Ms Bayless was later declared dead at Mercy Southwest Hospital, officials said.

Bakersfield Polce said they were investigating whether there had been any criminal wrongdoing.

The executive director of Glenwood Gardens, Jeffrey Toomer, defended the nurse's actions, saying she had followed policy.

He said in a statement: "In the event of a health emergency at this independent living community our practice is to immediately call emergency medical personnel for assistance and to wait with the individual needing attention until such personnel arrives.

"That is the protocol we followed."

Mr Toomer offered condolences to the woman's family and said a "thorough internal review" of the incident would be conducted.

He told KGET-TV that residents are informed of the policy and agree to it when they move in.

He said the policy does not apply at the adjacent assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.

CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a first-aid technique involving chest compressions and sometimes rescue breaths that can be used if a person is not breathing properly or if their heart has stopped.

All states in the US have versions of the Good Samaritan Law, which grants immunity to those administering CPR in good faith.

In California, it is granted to those trained in CPR and "who in good faith, renders emergency CPR at the scene of an emergency," those who provide such training, and those who provide instruction.

However, the law is vague as to whether "non-certified" responders are granted immunity protection when administering CPR.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Fast Eddie' Admits Stealing Security Van

A British man who went by the nickname of Fast Eddie and spent almost 20 years as a fugitive in the US has admitted the theft of a security van containing £1.2m.

Eddie Maher was wanted by Suffolk Police after the Securicor van he was driving disappeared from outside the Lloyds Bank in Felixstowe, Suffolk, on January 22, 1993.

The 57-year-old, originally from South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, was arrested by US authorities in February last year and held in custody awaiting trial after denying the theft following his deportation.

But he entered a last-minute guilty plea at Southwark Crown Court in London as he was due to stand trial. He is expected to be sentenced this morning.

Maher, who used the false identities of Stephen King and his brother Michael Maher while on the run, intended to fight the allegation on the grounds that he had been forced to commit the crime after racking up "significant debts".

But Suffolk Police and the Crown Prosecution Service built up evidence proving that the former soldier and firefighter had profited to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

During his time on the run, Maher built a new life with his partner, Deborah Brett, and their son Lee, who was three years old at the time of the theft.

After his conviction, detectives revealed details of a series of property investments they say he funded from the proceeds of the crime in Suffolk.

This included a house in Colorado bought with $120,000 (£79,300) in cash just six months after the theft.

Later Maher built a ranch on 80 acres in Colorado before moving around various US states.

At the time of his arrest on February 9 last year, he was working as a cable engineer in Missouri.

Eddie Maher admitted stealing a Securicor van in 1993

But his attempts to escape justice unravelled as he was arrested for illegally possessing firearms.

When US authorities contacted their UK counterparts about immigration issues, it became clear he was a wanted man.

Speaking outside court, Detective Inspector David Giles, from Suffolk Police, said: "Maher said he was forced to carry out this crime and that he only got a small amount of money from it.

"He never named the people who he claimed forced him into it and never put forward a credible story.

"We have succeeded in proving that he profited substantially from the theft and was a key player in the planning and execution of it.

"Since his arrest, he has displayed no remorse for what he did - but I get the impression he has spent 20 years looking over his shoulder and hoping the law would not catch up with him."

None of the £1.2m stolen from the van, which filled 30 sacks, has ever been found.

Ms Brett, 47, Maher's sister Margaret Francis, 64, and a 54-year-old man, from Woodford Green, east London, are all on bail after being arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit theft.

More follows...

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sir Ranulph Fiennes Returns From Antarctica

Sir Ranulph Fiennes may require surgery on two of his fingers after suffering severe frostbite during training for a trek across Antarctica.

The British explorer was forced to pull out of The Coldest Journey - a six-month trip that is due to start later this month - and spoke of his disappointment at leaving his team-mates behind.

"There's no point crying over spilt milk or split fingers but it's extremely frustrating," he said. "I've been working on this expedition and nothing else for five years."

A surgeon has told Sir Ranulph that while two of the fingers on his left hand "definitely would not require surgery", the others may need to be operated on.

The 68-year-old insisted his withdrawal was "unavoidable" and said his attention is now focussed on his fellow explorers, who are hoping to become the first people to make the 2,000-mile (3,219km) across Antarctica during winter.

"The team are brilliant," he added. "I'm very pleased and proud of them ... everything's on schedule."

Sir Ranulph treks through snow in Argentina during a previous challenge

Sir Ranulph developed frostbite after he had an accident while skiing and attempted to repair his ski bindings in temperatures as low as -33C (-27F).

Speaking at a press conference at Heathrow Airport, he said: "I tried fixing them with my big over-gloves on but I couldn't do a thing. You couldn't even peel a banana with those on. So I took off my inner mitts in order to be able to do the bindings up.

"People will say, 'surely you know you musn't take your mitts off completely?' But if it didn't, I'd have sat there, gone nowhere and died of cold. It's just one of those things."

Sir Ranulph had a double heart bypass in 2003 and suffered a heart attack two years later as he came agonisingly close to the summit of Mount Everest.

He became the oldest Briton to reach the top in 2009, when he completed the trek on his third attempt, aged 65.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mortar Bomb Plotters 'Absolutely Reckless'

Police in Northern Ireland have condemned a foiled mortar bomb plot as "absolutely reckless".

Army bomb disposal experts were called to the Letterkenny Road area of Londonderry after the four live devices were discovered in the back of a van last night and around 100 homes were evacuated.

"These people were absolutely reckless," said Chief Superintendent Stephen Cargin.

"They were prepared to drive a van with four live mortar bombs, ready to go, through a built-up area in Derry city, putting the lives of thousands of people at risk.

Chief superintendent Stephen Cargin said the plot was "absolutely reckless"

"It doesn't even bear thinking about what we could have been looking at today in terms of the consequences of these devices had they exploded."

Sky's Ireland correspondent David Blevins said: "It would appear that police have managed to thwart yet another attempted attack by dissident republicans.

"A huge security operation has been under way for several hours after Sky sources confirmed that police intercepted at least three mortars."

Three men have been arrested, including two 37-year-olds and a 35-year-old.

A bomb disposal robot pictured at the scene

Blevins said: "We are being told by local people in the Letterkenny Road area that police stopped the van and there is some suggestion they stopped a motorbike at the same time before they made the arrests.

"The police realised very quickly that they had intercepted the mortars primed for an attack in the vehicle which has a Southern Irish registration number plate."

He added: "The foiled attack bears the stamp of dissident republicans who are opposed to the political settlement in Northern Ireland.

"Until recently, there were three different factions - the Real IRA, the Continuity IRA and Óglaigh na hÉireann (soldiers of Ireland) - but they are reported to have amalgamated into one group calling itself The New IRA."

The discovery was made on the outskirts of Londonderry

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman said: "Police are currently dealing with a security alert in the Letterkenny Road area of Londonderry, following the discovery of a suspicious object in a vehicle.

"Approximately 100 homes have been evacuated and army technical officers are at the scene.

"Detectives from PSNI serious crime branch are dealing with the incident and are linking it with dissident republican activity."

Blevins said: "The timing of any attack would be significant given that we are just four days away from a Westminster by-election in Northern Ireland in the mid-Ulster constituency - the seat which was formerly held by Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness.

"That indeed may have been why a possible attack was being planned by those opposed to the peace settlement."

The four contenders for Thursday's by-election are Sinn Fein Assembly Member Francie Molloy, independent Nigel Lutton, the Social Democratic and Labour Party's Patsy McGlone and Eric Bullick of the cross-community Alliance Party.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

No Mandate For Police To Seek Right To Strike

Police officers have voted to seek the right to take industrial action as their relationship with the Government continues to sour.

However, just under half of the Police Federation's members took part in the ballot which is not enough to seek a mandate under its rules.

The result does put officers in England and Wales on a new collision course with the Government on a collision course following rows over spending cuts.

Police Federation officials said 20% cuts to policing and "attacks" on pensions, pay and conditions have sparked "unprecedented discontent and low morale".

Relations have been further damaged after a report by former rail regulator Tom Winsor recommended that police forces should face changes to pay, conditions and recruitment.

Suggested reforms included cutting pay for new constables by £4,000 to £19,000 and creating a fast-track to inspector scheme.

Chief constable roles should also be opened up to foreign candidates for the first time, according to the report.

Home Secretary Theresa May has said she is minded to press ahead with the radical overhaul proposed by the civilian lawyer.

A recent survey indicated just over half of police officers would consider looking for another job because of concerns about the changes.

The online ballot by the Police Federation, which has over 130,000 members, was conducted by Electoral Reform Services.

The vote was open to all officers from police constable to chief inspector.

It is currently illegal for police officers to take industrial action - the last official strike was believed to be in 1919.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mokhtar Belmokhtar: Gas Terror Chief 'Killed'

Belmokhtar: Profile Of Mr Marlboro

Updated: 12:54am UK, Sunday 03 March 2013

By Sam Kiley, Middle East Correspondent

He was known as Mr Marlboro because of his cigarette smuggling. The French intelligence service called him "The Uncatchable".

Born in central Algeria in 1972, Mokhtar Belmokhtar grew obsessed with Jihadi ideology in his teens. At 19 he volunteered to fight alongside the mujahedeen in Afghanistan.

He missed most of the fighting there as the Soviets withdrew as he arrived but he did encounter senior members of what was to become al Qaeda - receiving training in a Jalalabad base.

In the early 1990s he returned to Algeria to join Islamic militant groups. He served them as a quartermaster - rapidly rose to dominate operations in the south of the country during the Algerian civil war.

Described by the then head of France's Territorial Surveillance Directorate (Direction de la surveillance du territoire – DST) as Algeria's link to al Qaeda, Belmokhtar maintained strong links to the movement's core in Pakistan.

But he was a vital element in the expansion of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). A franchise of the Jihadi movement AQIM was seen as the poorly performing franchise during the last decade. 

But Belmokhtar forged links with Tuareg rebels in the south Sahara from Mali to Niger and into Mauritania.

He rapidly expanded a criminal empire to fund his political and military operations from smuggling cigarettes, diamonds, drugs and people into Europe.

He further stuffed his war chest with funds from hostage taking operations. In 2003 he was implicated in the kidnapping of 32 Europeans in the Sahara.

In 2008, he took control of negotiations for the release of two Austrian hostages. And in 2009 took control of two Canadians kidnapped in Mali and released by him for allegedly £3m and freedom for several of his associates from Malian jails.

Robert Fowler was a UN special envoy in Mali when he was kidnapped and then handed on to Belmokhtar.

He described the man who has now projected himself on to the world stage from the relative obscurity of the Saharan wastes.

"He is very cold. Very business-like. I was afraid for my life all the time. I was afraid for my life when I woke up in the morning and when I went to sleep at night. He is a very serious player," Mr Fowler told ABC News in the US.

Belmokhtar's movement got a huge boost from the collapse of the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi.

The Tuareg fighters he had employed from Niger, Mali and Chad, fled his service carrying with them vast stockpiles of heavy weapons and bringing many years of combat experience.

This influx of new weapons and fighters allowed for al Qaeda-related groups to capture much of northern Mali and establish closer links between groups from Mauritania to Somalia and into the Arabian Peninsula.

Some intelligence agencies believe that Belmokhtar fell out with the AQIM leader in the north of Africa, Abdulmalek Droukel.

But al Qaeda is a franchise. Its strength lies in fragmentation. A devolved series of groups are harder to infiltrate or destroy than one large organisation.

Al Qaeda expert Aaron Zelin describes this as "controlled fragmentation".

French intelligence services had been trying to kill or capture Belmokhtar for more than a decade. They believed that he had the capacity to mobilise French citizens with their roots in North Africa for terror operations inside Europe.

After France launched its war against Islamists in Mali, many of whom are connected to Belmokhtar, his organisation which calls itself "The Masked Ones", vowed to continue attacks against western targets in Africa and beyond.

Belmokhtar's attack in Algeria meant his name was heard more widely as his movement posed a strategic threat to Europe's energy supplies.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sinkhole Swallows Man: House To Be Demolished

A house where a man was swallowed up by a sinkhole that opened up under his bedroom is due to be demolished.

It comes after rescue teams called off their efforts to find Jeff Bush's body as they considered it too dangerous to continue.

They feared the "seriously unstable" house could collapse on them if they tried to search for him.

"Our data has come back, and there is absolutely no way we can do any kind of recovery without endangering lives of workers," said Hillsborough County Fire Rescue spokeswoman Jessica Damico.

Before the search was abandoned, engineers found the soil in the slowly growing sinkhole around the home was very soft and believed the entire property could eventually be swallowed up.

"At this point it's really not possible to recover the body," Hillsborough County Administrator Mike Merrill said, adding "we're dealing with a very unusual sinkhole".

Jeff Bush is presumed dead after being swallowed by the hazard

Mr Bush, 37, who is presumed dead, vanished when the ground opened up in Seffner, east of Tampa Bay.

It dragged him down along with everything else in the bedroom.

Five other people were at the property as the floor began to fall through into the hole estimated to be six metres across and six metres deep. But no-one else was injured.

Jeremy Bush, who tried to rescue his brother, lay flowers and a stuffed lamb near the house and wept.

Crews will try pulling part of the property away from the sinkhole intact so some of the residents' keepsakes can be retrieved.

They have been testing the unstable ground surrounding the home and have evacuated two nearby houses as a precaution.

Sisters Soliris and Elbairis Gonzalez, who live on the same street, said neighbours were worried about their safety.

"I've had nightmares," Soliris Gonzalez, 31, said. "In my dreams, I keep checking for cracks in the house."

They said the family has discussed where to go if forced to evacuate, and they have taken their important documents to a storage unit.

Jeff Bush's cousin Kyle Balcom (L) and brother Dustin Bush

"The rest of it, this is material stuff, as long as our family is fine," Soliris Gonzalez said.

"You never know underneath the ground what's happening," added 30-year-old Elbairis Gonzalez.

Florida is highly prone to sinkholes because there are caverns below ground of limestone, a porous rock that easily dissolves in water.

They are so common that state law requires home insurers provide coverage against the danger.

Mr Bush said someone visited the home a couple of months ago to check for sinkholes and other things, apparently for insurance purposes.

"He said there was nothing wrong with the house. Nothing. And a couple of months later, my brother dies. In a sinkhole," he said.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Devizes: Man And Woman Found Shot Dead

The bodies of a man and woman have been found shot dead at a house in Devizes, Wiltshire police say.

The discovery was made at a house on Moonrakers Estate, shortly before 11am on Saturday.

It is being described as an "isolated incident" and no-one else is at risk.

The families have been informed but formal identification has not yet taken place.

A spokesman said: "We can confirm that at shortly before 11am on Saturday, March 2, officers were called to a property at Moonrakers Estate, Devizes.

"On arrival the bodies of a man and a woman were found. An investigation into the circumstances of their deaths is under way.

"This is an isolated incident and we have no reason to believe that anyone else is at risk."

Cordons have been placed around the scene as investigators continue their enquiries.

More follows...

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More